The BiogasAction project has been supporting a number of EU regional governments in the development of biogas and biomethane solutions.

BiogasAction has operated in French region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (led by the Covenant Supporter AURA-EE), the North-West part of France, UK, Croatia, Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Denmark, Latvia and South-East Sweden (led by the Covenant Supporter Energikontor Sydost).

The project has enabled the removal of the non-technical barriers to create better frameworks for the widespread use of biogas and biomethane. The efforts and success stories of BiogasAction have been summarised in thefinal booklet of the project disseminated at the conference in Brussels.

A consistent framework for biogas development

Biogas production involves many different players: farmers, industry representatives, energy producers or public authorities, among others. The successful development of biogas requires regular cooperation within the different stakeholders to exchange information and knowledge on the state of play of the biogas sector. An important challenge for BiogasAction has been the promotion of synergies, exchange of information between these different actors and cooperation on new initiatives. One of the key actions of the project has been the development of an online Toolbox in the form of a free-access online platformwith useful information and tools for biogas plants developers.

The development of a suitable regulatory framework is also essentialto promote biogas valorisation. More efforts are needed from the biogas sector to make public authorities aware of the opportunities of biogas and biomethane by improving their knowledge on biogas as a competitive solution for sustainable development in their regions. One of the key initiatives of BiogasAction partners was the promotion of knowledge-exchange sessions on a regular basis between public authorities and other regional stakeholders.

Biogas contributes to regional development, as it can be produced, distributed and consumed locally. In addition, it promotes the implementation of an economy based on renewable energy production. It is a storable and flexible energy source, which can help balance the intermittent supplies of other renewable energies. In addition, the soil application of biogas is important for closing nutrient cycles, as some of the elements resulting from biogas production can be used as organic fertilizers, which is an important contribution to circular economy. Moreover, it can provide a biofuel for the transport sector, thereby helping to make this sector more sustainable.

Initiatives for biogas development for existing and forthcoming biogas plants

The development of a biogas plant has to be adequately assessed and supported by existing data and information.BiogasAction has worked on the development of biogas models, the optimization of biogas production and the implementation of biogas projects in the target regions. A well-established relationship with existing biogas plants is essential to get the adequate data to support successful models for biogas development.

Biogas production tends to be predominantly self-taught across Europe.The close cooperation between the industry and the research sectors is of paramount importance when opting for biogas optimization. Regular and high-quality training and education for biogas professionals are essential for the development of new technologies to improve biogas production.

Further cooperation between biogas developers is also essential.Each year, biogas projects and plants are spreading in numbers across Europe. Understandably, such endeavours take time to come to fruition. For that reason, it is crucial to initiate constructive dialog with potential project developers as early as possible to help ensure the highest possible quality of outcome. In that respect, the Toolbox and examples of BiogasAction can be inspiring and enriching.

In its final efforts, the BiogasAction team aims to fine-tune its evaluation of achievements and recommendations for the further development of biogas in Europe.